Fall

A perfect fall weekend

my first of this year

rainy, but beautiful

spent Friday enjoying a delicious dinner

I didn't have to cook (even better)

A Saturday sleep in

Coffee, bacon, scrambled eggs with peppers and onions

another delicious meal, not made by me

(how lucky am I)

Off to a football game - ugly weather, bright t-shirts

glad to be back, one week off is just too much

Back garden for beers, flip cup, mini-burgers

great catch up

A buddy walk across the street

more games, more laughs, how lucky am I

Home to bed

Another rainy morning sleep in

Another delicious breakfast ( i made the bacon)

Friends over

beer, chicken wings and so much fun

another perfect weekend

even though beach mornings are nowhere to be found.

My weekend in review

A little late, but better then never!

Its already feeling a bit like fall

so we packed our sweatshirts

well EBJ did - he always remembers those things

and off we went - amazing catch up dinner at John Scotts

with lobster rolls, too big steak samiches, mussels and wings

what are we going to do without those mussels all winter!

a few landsharks



then home for a pillow fight (becoming quite the tradition)

i lost.

terribly.

almost lost an eye too, but it was still in when I woke up, EBJ is a lucky guy

Saturday morning - a sad visit

but one I have wanted to do with him.

Took EBJ to see Tommy - hydrangeas and Celtic cross, a swordfish

a great wind came through the trees just as I got really really sad

Another visit from him - usually in the form of sea glass,

most recently an amazing dream, of patagonia and tears.

but I'll take what I can.

Glad EBJ was there - they would have gotten along so well.

Said our goodbyes - hate leaving that place (weird I know)

off to the beach - Tommy's favorite place



a day spent at the annual family races - not too many 20-29 year olds willing to swim

so we did, and I lost my bathing suit bottoms

quite a view for the parents and children - a coppertone bottom

after trophys, should always come margaritas on the beach

then a race to pick up dinner

in the form of littlenecks (or maybe steamers), mussels, shrimp, corn, potatoes, sausages



oh and harvey.



a one-pot clambake

on a perfect evening

sea water

new friends (EBJ makes them everywhere he goes, I get to be along for the ride)

feet in the sand, just cooked mussels - perfectly cooked littlenecks

then Harvey.

the perfect shade of red, fresh local corn from the boy (an architect you know)

long talks, cold landsharks, perfect dinner.

our one pot clambake for two.



Sunday, another amazing night of sleep (no pillow fight, eyes intact)

red with a white dot ocean

EBJ surfed, I took photos, of him.



of me.



of little shell armies.



our surfboards got hammocks

we got landsharks (and mussels, and wings and a kohog- weird name, delcious food)

sunkissed, with just the right amount of margarita, we headed back to the city.

it may feel like fall, but summer is far from over.

The nights don't justify you

I am soon to be turning 25+1.

In lieu of a real live blog post with details, my wish list (big, grand, huge wishes) is below.

I have already received some of the best birthday gifts imaginable, thoughtful, amazingly wonderful presents from Sil and EBJ - but here is some fun fun fun stuff.

Disclaimer...this is just the beginning


Fabulous shoes with bows from JCrew


For Like Ever poster from Village Products


Monogram bracelet from The Palm Gifts


Card from Curly Girl Designs


Dying for these boots - no idea who makes (made) them!


Just so sweet - pancake maker - Cox & Co.

Dreaming of Greece...

I’ve really wanted to write (well, blog) for a while now but the conditions just haven’t been quite right. You know how it is sometimes…too tired from too many runs; too much round the clock Olympics to watch on TV; hands too sore from my newest sporting venture, handball; its too hot; its too cold (okay, that’s just a lame excuse as it’s been really hot this summer), but now I’m feeling juuuusssst right. I spent the day wandering from the east side to the west side – then from maneuvering through the hordes of people at Apple store on Fifth Avenue to a free facial at Columbus Circle’s Aveda and Whole Food Sushi. I checked out the runners around Central Park, the couples picnicking and crews sunbathing in between Frisbee tosses in Sheep’s Meadow, and the breakers competing with the crazy old school disco roller skaters. Then I napped and went to an awesome hour and a half yoga class, ate sushi, veggie dumplings and way too much wasabi, and then I flipped on the TV. It was a pretty lovely Sunday already. And then, what to my wondering eyes did appear on the television… my BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING! On TBS, of course. I forgot how much this movie makes me laugh.

A perfect setting for writing and interlude to my post, the one I promised you a month ago about planning my trip to Greece. I think I also promised to write my review of Mamma Mia! In a word, hilariously brilliant. Okay, two words. Not knowing I was ever a fan of Abba, but loving Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, and Thomas Crown, I deemed it a hit. Maybe more importantly were the simply breathtaking backdrops of the Greek Isles.(www.mammamiamovie.com)Did you know that on August 29th, there are sing-along versions being released in select theaters?? Awesome. Suze and Sil outing this fall?



Earlier this month, I may have gone to see Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 – the whole last part of it is set in Santorini! We’ll pretend that’s the only reason why (and as such, it doesn’t need a link to the movie homepage). It was research, of course. So, it’s been a Greek movie-filled summer. What better way to psych myself up for this trip (now just 11 days away)? Not that I need any help getting excited. And then Suze writing about her incredible Athens Olympics experience four years ago just fit in so nicely with the Greek theme of the month.

So the planning has gone something like this:
- Sil purchases Priceline ticket on Delta nonstop from JFK to Athens
- Sil invites good friends E and Nik (he’s the Greek one) over for a Sil-cooked special dinner and lots of wine and treats so that Nik will tell her anything and everything to do in Greece, and most importantly, the best ways to get there
- After the educational tipsy dinner, Sil emails C* to tell him all the wondrous things to come (and I may have even used that slightly nerdy word)

*Is this the first mention of C? I think it just might be. C is the one I’ll (back to the first person here) be taking this adventure with…well to go see. Remember how Suze and I wrote in our “about us” that we started this blog right when our good friend had gone off to see the world and we were looking for adventures we knew were right around us. We’ll that ‘good friend’ is more than just a friend, to me that is. Suze has her EBJ of course. I will be meeting C in Santorini on September 4th (that’s 11 days from now, just in case you’re counting now too).

He also gets special mention here as he’s another reason I finally sat down to blog. I got an email tonight that said, among many other good things, that he had read SandSBlossominNY in its entirety (every post) before he went to bed (in Sorrento, Italy).

So, fast forward ahead to a few days ago (because I am getting tired and do still owe him a before bed email so he’ll get it as a good morning one)…

And we have the following totally in place:
- A stay in Santorini at this classic family-owned villa overlooking the famous Caldera (volcano) where they host you each night for cocktails and mezedes (appetizers) on the terrace each night for a sunset party! (http://www.lithies.com/index.html - House Zephyr
- A stay in Mykonos at a gorgeous, ‘luxury’ apartment. The name is the best The Warm Yellow Apartment on Kounoupas Hill (http://www.xydakis.com/luxury-apartments-mykonos.html)
- And for our last night, this one in, Athens possibly a Nik recommended Fresh Hotel (ttp://freshhotel.gr)*
*I have yet to figure out how to actually make the "insert link" command on Blogger work...



Of course I have become email friends with Anita who manages the villas in Santorini and she’s suggested five days of adventures including a boat trip to the thermal springs, a hike to the volcano, walking in and around the shops of Fira and Oia, snorkeling (to be C’s first time!) and dinners at these locally run tavernas and restaurants where the calamari is fresh and the octopus even fresher. A steak dinner (yes, it’s a special request) may be thrown in there somewhere to celebrate C’s belated birthday, trips to the beaches in both places and a scooter/ATV ride or two, not to mention everything unexpected to come that you simply cannot plan, or plan for. That may even be the best part, aside from the company and sunsets that it. Sounds pretty magical to me, and I’ve had to remind myself more than once that this is actually happening (in 11 days), and it’s not in fact just another Greek movie.

This is happiness.

I got a surprise this weekend - one that I can't post photos of because we forgot to take any without us in them...

but the surprise was amazing, and awesome, and thoughtful and wonderful.

it was an early birthday present from EBJ and it begins with an S and rhymes with Smurf Gourd

3 months ago he decided he wanted a surfboard

and 3 months ago I put him in touch with my buddy who shapes custom boards

all summer he has been planning his board

downloading programs to do renderings and deciding what went where

he chose the NYC subway system, a dive flag, Australia and the Yankees emblem

somehow, because he is EBJ he made it all work together

3 months ago he also decided to take a chance

well technically I would guess he took that chance a few months before that, but still

he took a gamble, one I think we both knew would work out in his favor

that Saturday August 9th would be a good day to give a girl a birthday present (1 month and 1 day early)

so 3 months ago he started planning a surprise to end all surprises

(i dont even think i need a surprise party this was so good)

he thought about my favorite things

and planned and planned and designed

never acting secretive

and never letting on

so on Saturday we woke up

he was giddy with excitement, but I didnt suspect a thing,

partially because I knew he was excited about his own board that was coming

and partially because I was coughing up a lung.

slight detour to the walk in clinic - meds, breakfast and cure-all iced tea

a suburban and 2 kiddos in the backseat

we were off to pick up his board

and it was beautiful - he had designed it perfectly and it was shaped perfectly and oh man thats gorgeous and oh wait where did you go?

and then i followed into the work room, to 'see the shaping' or something like that and then there was the most beautiful surfboard in the whole wide world

and then i didn't get it

and then i didn't get it again

and then i looked at EBJ

and then i looked at him again

and then i knew the most beautiful surfboard in the whole wide world was for me.

and it has the Montauk Lighthouse on it, surrounded by cherry blossoms and its my birthday present.

and then we spent the weekend looking at our beautiful surfboards and talking about adventures to come.

and if the past 9 (yes i know how many) months are any indication - I can't wait.

8.8.08

4 years ago this week I was in Greece.

well technically i had been there for a few weeks already, having arrived at 5am local time, after some ridiculous number of travel hours. I took a cab in the dark to a little apartment on a street I couldn't pronounce to meet my new roommates - E & Z. I asked for pancakes, they laughed. I didn't get it.

We went to the office - taking a cab that first day as I didn't yet have my credentials and the media bus was off limits.

I met new people, saw friends I hadn't seen in 2 years. I caught up.

I explored in a jumpy and learned to say 'My little watermelon' in Greek

I slept on long drives to the rowing venue and ran screaming with joy into the ocean that first day

I was surprised by the history, and in total awe of what was right there around me.

4 years ago I had spent the last 2 months caring for my cousins as their father, my favorite uncle, passed away.

I walked through the stadium empty, after convincing a security guard we were supposed to be there - and got to see practice for the opening ceremonies

I met celebrities - but was far more impressed with the athletes

I watched world records be smashed

saw controversy unfold

ate flaming sausages off a sword at a roof top restaurant

i traded pins, ate popcorn and did cartwheels through the hallway

I drove the length of the marathon, ate octopus off a clothesline

I met a woman named Tula, ate cheese pies and orange juice in her kitchen over looking the sea

i did shots with basketball players, walked home in the late night heat of Athens

i watched fireworks over the city in the middle of the street, unwilling to leave for my plane.

a million other things happened - the Olympics are magic like that

happy 8.8.08

Travels with Sil

Here I am in another airport, which, if I calculate it correctly, by the end of this trip on Wednesday, will make nineteen airport visits in one month (and two days).

NY LGA
Denver
Aspen

Aspen
Denver
NY LGA

NY LGA
Miami
Grand Cayman

Grand Cayman
Charlotte
Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.
NY LGA

NY LGA
Denver
Hayden – Steamboat Springs
Denver
NY LGA

Good thing the Denver airport has free Wi-Fi, that is if you can find a place to sit quietly and use it among the throngs of travelers lost in the massive, circus tent-like structure with the trams that transport you from terminal to terminal packed as tight as the New York City downtown 6 train during the morning rush hour.

I know I’ve been slacking on the blogging (slacking = nonexistent for about one month and six days or so, and I’ve apologized profusely to Suze. (**Here’s an editor’s note for you – this blog post began on Sunday, July 13th and will now finish, not quite as done as it could be, tonight on Sunday, July 20th.) Think the editor’s note is quite an adept illustration of my life in current days…

The blogging slowdown was mostly affected by my travel-for-work escapades, capped off by a fabulously relaxing, no technology allowed beach weekend with Suze, but then, almost as soon as I was back in the big city, I was gone again, off to Colorado for a week of exasperatingly hard meetings. I have a very cool job. Very cool. We work a lot but we play, too, and most excitingly, we travel to incredible places. Whether it’s a five-star hotel or a ski resort from the Caribbean to the mountains, I’ll almost always come back from a work trip having a funny story or a bruise from snowboarding or lungs full of fresh air or a tan, and for all the hours put in being “on-call” in a crisis situation or crafting an incredible media event or magazine placement, it is worth it. This week, for example, consisted of visiting three resorts in Colorado for our familiarization trips there to meet the new clients and learn what makes them all unique, and no, familiarization is not in quotes. It really is integral in our business, which usually does make for fun.

But sometimes, like this week, it is just plain hard with non-stop meetings from 8am-midnight, with zero BlackBerry breaks. I kid you not. The horror. Not to mention having to prove to new clients at each place following long drives between resorts and why you 1. really are great, 2. really do do kick ass work, and 3. really are not all that young. Well, yes, in years you may be especially since, at 24, you’re the youngest of the bunch by far and you do exude a healthy youthful glow, but hell, you give a damn good “this is why we rock” presentation. (Editor’s note #2 – this part was clearly written this evening following the week o’meetings and making “good use of time” – the new client’s catch phrase, and kissing the ground when I arrived back at LaGuardia.)

So, that’s why they call it “work.”

Following this week I definitely needed a real weekend and a slight break from the laptop, and jeez, a stiff shot of gin or something. As Suze knows, I typically stay far from the drink that tastes like Christmas trees. I’ll take my tree decorated with twinkle lights and sparkly balls (the ornament kind) not in my libations to shake off a tough week, thank you.

So, in the interim, and because I don’t have any gin in the apartment, I needed to provide myself a slight reprieve and at least offer up a good excuse for my falling off. I know we have one faithful reader (she knows who she is and makes a mean glass of sangria of which I am feeling the effects tonight as I finish this up). And so this post was born, if for no one else, but me, her, and my adventurous, blogging partner in crime.

Here’s the other reason for the blogging slowdown…and I’ve been struggling with whether or not I was ready to open up to the blog – or to all of its three readers. Often times the best writing comes when you’re sad or mad or overly introspective and pensive – and I must say some of my best blogging here on Traipsing Through Cherry Blossoms came just then – during the month I had all of these crazy, strange unfamiliar feelings welled up inside of me and the way I choose to deal with it – having as many exciting NYC adventures as possible, with Suze, and when not with her, living vicariously through her (even the paintballing!) When we weren’t shaking the cherry blossoms off the trees or ferrying it up to Staten Island Yankees games or biking through traffic or turning coffee, day-old cookies and an upper east side discovery walk into a highlighted weekend event, May was a month for me and my laptop. And my laptop and this blog took the sadness I was feeling, especially at bedtime, and turned it into something (somewhat) soothing and occasionally, just a bit humorous.

The sadness started to drift away in June and now in July, things are as anti-sad as they could be in that realm…however, that does not give me an excuse for not writing as we move into the dog days of summer. There are a few adventures upcoming, and only one work trip on the docket for August, which as luck would have it takes me to the homeland - Boston!

I even have the next blog all set and crafting in the mind has begun: A bit about Mamma Mia! Also known as Dancing Queen or Gimme, Gimme, Gimme a Man After Midnight. OR Sil plans a (non-work) trip to Greece…

It's still rock and roll to me

Gorgeous night. Billy Joel. Shea Stadium. Best. Concert. Ever.

Her light explodes in the air..pieces go everywhere

Woke up early Thursday - too much excitement for a long weekend at the beach

took an entirely too crowded train - full of complaints, but we had seats - no complaints from us

straight to the deli - snackerdoos of potato salad and mac and cheese

then to the beach - a walk to the jetty, a decision that seersucker was needed

1 jacket left - perfect fit

off to the big house - chicken, and rice, a salad with new dressing - but change isn't bad

delicious in fact




long talk, with cold beer on the porch with fairy lights

quiet sleep.

too early wake up - promises to a kid who thinks breakfast is at 8am

but worth it to be up

bacon and eggs, sausage and cheese and a big daddy breakfast with lettuce and tomato too

gave me all the extra black pepper

trip to the surf shop

wet suits and camo flip flops

coolest wet suits ever. coolest camo flip flops ever too

new pink polo, ice cream, camo pj pants - no those are leggings!

coolest looking 10 year old at camp soon.



to the beach. football in the ocean

elbows first!

keep away and so many giggles

shandys (an oceanside tradition now)

off to another BBQ

ham this time - really changing it up

Red, white and blue (or pink, white and blue)

seersucker suit - handsome as always

To the bar for a landshark and a water view


She's got fireworks in her eyes.

another early night - but worth it for the rest

Saturday sleep in - no one is allowed to wake us up

off to the beach for breakfast

i got the extra black pepper again

then a drive to the inlet

watched the boats - wondered if the fish were worth the cost of gas

does that mean we are adults?

i feel like that is an adult thought to have



then off to another waterfront bar - drinking at 1 is not a very adult activity

mojitos and oysters and laughing at drunk boys unable to keep their eyes open across from us

off to look at fishing boats - so many questions about what everything is

one called Mary Elizabeth - made me think of my Mary - she would have loved those boats

barnacles and buoys - lots of photos





back to the beach for lunch in the gazebo - shandys and light rainstorm

home to change

Lilly & Seersucker - good looking pair

to the real BBQ - hot dogs and hamburgers for appetizers

too much wine, too much beer

a family first - aunts & fuzzins vs. aunts & cousins beirut

a conga line

to-go cups of wine

tipsy, perfect evening

Early wake up - the hangover must wait as it is finally time to use the wetsuits

bikinis and swim trunks

coffee to go

to the beach



sex wax, long boards, solid surf

2 hours in the water, no interest in coming out

riding in on my knees, EBJ on his feet

coming back to him slowly, i learned to get off the board before i hit the sand

amazing morning - could have sat on the board forever

sandwich time, best shower of my life, more football

lobster roll, landsharks, steamers and corn



live music - lots of john mayer

back to the beach - just too nice a day to leave

another landshark - standing on a turtle

3 simple words.

perfect end to a perfect weekend.

"i've walked these streets, since I was ten - tonight they're new again and I'm so glad to be walking around in the city"

The title today comes from a song by a band called 'Milton' you should check them out!

I was just reading another blog – about a weekend trip to the NYC

They were ladies who lunched, and ladies who had too many glasses of wine and strolled through the city. all bits of adventure on a vacation weekend to the best city in the world...

I’ve been to other cities – strolled through the streets of Athens, lunched outside and ate octopus just plucked out of the ocean.

I’ve seen Pippi Longstockings ‘house’ and the parking lot of an Ikea in Sweden.

Been to an outdoor mall in Salt Lake City, Quincy Market in Boston and an amazing sandwich shop in Burlington.

Lived in DC for a while – know the best place for late night burgers (lindys) and that a strong G&T can keep you warm on the walk from the Metro to the bars in Adams Morgan.

I know where to order fried mac and cheese in LA and have had an In n Out burger ‘animal style’ for brunch, lunch and dinner one day.

Want to go to a kids only playground in London, I can tell you where to go.

The best place to see a Bon Jovi cover band while sitting in a bar made out of an old boat in Vero Beach? I got it.

A blowhole in Hawaii? Target headquarters in Minneapolis? A Pot Belly sandwich in Michigan – no problem.

All of those adventures were exciting and new – I visited and walked around wide eyed and grinning. But this city is my home, so while I continually get excited to find a new brunch spot, or see my favorite streets lit up just before dusk, its funny to think that I will never visit the Big Apple, will never wander around Times Square while trying to find the naked cowboy, while I will visit the World Trade Center site, I will not include ‘ground zero’ on my list of ‘Must Do’s while in the city!’ Canal street scares me, but taking the subway at all hours of the night does not. I know I am lucky to live here – but sometimes I wonder what it must be like to see this place for the first time.

But then again, I'll find a street, a neighborhood, a restaurant I’ve never been too –Spring Street in the fall, Park Avenue lined with hibiscus in the spring, air conditioners whirring along 78th street in the summer and a snow storm on Rivington 2 winters ago and once again I am wide eyed and grinning exploring a new bit of city I had yet to encounter before.

Quotables

Suze "perhaps a quickie?"
Sil: "Hey! I want one!"
Suze: "You want a quickie?"
Sil: "Oh no, I thought you said cookie"

Cougar 1: "i'll have a veggie burger please"
Waitress: "we don't have veggie burgers"
Cougar 1: "Ok, then i'll have a cheeseburger with bacon and a large fry"
Cougar 2: "don't get fries they go straight to your a$$ - lets share a large wings"
Cougar 1: "I don't want wings"
Cougar 2: "its ok, I'll just get them for myself"

tramps like us, baby we were born to walk

I'm sure you've all been wondering, and i can assure you - I'm still walking.

apparently we've made it to a beach somewhere - I know this because when I log in each morning all of a sudden I feel like I'm in a typhoon, or at least a really good white noise machine.

We get seagulls and crashing waves - but the audio guy took it a little seriously and sometimes it startles me to hear tidal waves crashing at my feet. at 9am. on the 5th floor of my office on Lexington Avenue. in New York City.

But we just keep walking - we've actually walked more steps then we have credit for - I'll be the first to admit I followed blindly, they sent me the pack, with all the cool gear (socks!) and i put my pedometer on and I trusted it would be correct. that it would measure each and every last step I took to ensure my apartment steps were counted (I best be getting credit for 4 flights each day). They provided reason to trust - on the website you can actually see the evolution of the pedometer, literally they show the last 6 years of pedometers and explain that these have all gone through rigorous testing and this years pedometer was the best you could buy (or receive free in your pack o fun).

they lied.

I received an odd sketchy package from China, slightly wary of opening it, I had our receptionist do it - low and behold, new pedometers and a little note saying oops! not all the pedometers worked correctly, so now you get more! and these work! we swear!

well my steps doubled the first day, so obviously i had a defective one - so our team is back in the running - walking on the beach currently - which is fun, except for the tidal wave heading my way.

Its the weekend

Bit of a blogging break lately - SIl has been traveling, and my life just hasn't been all that interesting I guess.

went to the beach last weekend as usual - only this wasn't so usual.

my roommates birthday

early wake up

bacon and eggs (weekend trend)

drive to the beach

practice my photoshooting using different settings

(pictures to follow)

overcast, but hot

too cold to swim

toasted almond ice cream

brought me back to being 8 (even spilled most of it on my bathing suit)

corn husking

BBQ meats

aloe (not for me though, i smelled like coppertone)

rum punch

a thunderstorm

mojitos

dancing

sleeps.

Another great weekend - I'm getting pretty lucky here.

This weekend (and almost every other weekend) i will spend here:



my own little bit o heaven.

then off to paintball round 2 - although no more gun photos as per momma suze.

happy weekend!

Ecto Cooler?

Last night I had organized a pick up football game in the park, if you've been following along on our blog, you know Sil and I play touch football in a charity social league in NYC. Our team took the summer season off, and I have been missing getting outside to run around like a 5 year old after 6 too many bowls of Fruity Pebbles (not that i know what that feels like - when i was younger my mom thought my ridiculous energy was caused by too much sugar...little did she know).

So I organized a low key pick up game in the park - last night was our inaugural game and 8 1/2 players came (the 1/2 was wearing flip flops and only stayed for a few minutes). We had fun! Everyone quarterbacked, caught a few balls, ran around, rolled down hills and successfully navigated a large slope on the field, as well as Gucci loafers marking 1 end zone.

Then on to Brother Jimmys for a bucket of wings and many, many bud light pitchers. Plus a fish bowl, compliments of our lovely waitress. Those of you who have never tried a fish bowl just haven't lived - its a fish bowl (duh) filled to the brim with an greenish liquid that looks like a cross between that stuff that drips out of cars in the summer and Ecto Cooler. (double points for anyone who remembers that awesome tuff - another casualty in our house hold full of low sugar products). I think they make the Fish Bowl by taking every bottle of liquor that usually resides on the bottom shelf, the dustier the better, and pour them into the bowl, throw in some ice and a shot of Southern Comfort (its a bbq place, everything has SoCo in it) and a plastic crocodile (alligator?) oh and 4,030,4085 pink and green straws (shout out Lilly lovers everywhere) and you got yourself a little something I like to call 'if you drink this with less then 7 people expect the worst hangover of your entire life tomorrow - you will be puking up amaretto for the next 6 months, but damn does it taste so good when it hits your lips"

our game will be bi-monthly for the summer - and as long as we remember the bug spray it should be a pretty good time.

Hot town, summer in the city*

"summer is the time when one sheds ones tensions with ones clothes"
- Ada Louise Huxtable

Is it just me, or does summer (especially in Manhattan) open up this magical cloud of awesome? It's like fairy dust over the city - everyone is outdoors, and walking, and happy.

Last night as i walked home from my late night (8:30, but I'm old so that is late on a school night) errand, i ran into a neighbor I like and his pup and a friend of mine i hardly ever see. For both the interactions were brief, but as i walked through the door of my apartment, and geared up for those 4 (i swear its only 4) flights of stairs, i said out loud "god i love New York"

And today at lunch, as I walked back to the office with a coworker (I am not going to say what i had for lunch as EBJ will have a heart attack - Mr. Macaroni and Cheese for a snack, Pot meet Kettle) we noticed a man, with a peacock feather hooting at cars as he waited for the light to turn and the little white man to pop up. Chris and I just laughed, and he said out loud "i love New York")

Also, has anyone read the Vanity Fair Summer Guide yet? Below are a few of my 'must do this summer' ideas - and now, blog readers (all 4 of you) in an effort to get some type of comments and also, because I would like to remain on top in the 'most creative date idea comer-upper' what are your 'must do this summer' plans?

A sneak peak of mine:
- The Astoria Beer Garden - I love Greece, I Love beer, I love gardens, I even like Queens - yet somehow I haven't gotten there yet.
- Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge - it still amazes me that I haven't done this - but i will - Summer of 2008 will be a summer of firsts.
- I want to see the big balloon dog at the Met (Jeff Koons exhibit)
- Drink outdoors as much as physically possible.

now you...

*I always thought the lyrics to that song were "hot CHILD, summer in the city" I was wrong oops.

89,145 steps or Five hundred, twenty five thousand, six hundred minutes

Well i have taken 89,145 steps in 13 days- that is 35 miles, or 28 cans of soda.

I'm still at my desk, although the website tells me i am actually in Agua Viva, Venezuela. I can actually send you a postcard from there. Which is still confusing to me - as I am here.

I have walked up the stairs of the Montauk Lighthouse, up the stairs of the 78th street 6 station, down York avenue, across a football field (or 2). I walked (ok ran, ok crawled) across a paintball course, and skipped (still counts) around a pool.

Some of my steps came from dancing, some from jumping, a few from running, but i would say mostly the dancing.

We'll see where i go in the next 13 days.

Now, a bit about paintball.

I'll be honest. i had zero interest in this trip. i almost got out of it actually, but EBJ, being EBJ, likes to include everyone and changed the details of the trip. All of a sudden i WAS available. yay.

So i packed up some old long sleeve shirts, and a heavy sweatshirt for protection and headed up to Millbrook, NY. Of course, EBJ, again being EBJ, had a fabulous costume surprise for me. So i was lucky enough to get to spend the weekend in Carhartt overall and more pieces of camo then i thought could be possible.

and the weekend went a little something like this:

Long drive

Mexican

Blood orange mojitos - a little bit of heaven

so many beers

a Brittney named Lulu

a fire on the porch (the good kind, not the fireman have to come kind)

amazing sleep

bacon & eggs

biscuits

mean looks from the locals (we're from NY, we're loud, and impatient)

lots of beer at the grocery store

"i'm going to shoot people"

a mini militia

death camp

attacking the bunkers

this all sounds scarier then it was

hiding in the brush - shooting 12 year olds

shot in the face, but it didn't break, so i was safe



eva-kazee

a million games, a few beers

best shower of my life

watched a rain storm come in over the trees - found out later there was even hail

venison steaks and corn on the bbq

mini keg stands

lots of beer in my nose

mini keg toss

never have i ever

9 9 busta rhyme...we couldn't make it past 2

"i like my corona with lime" was my best

more company

more beers



more laughs

more sleeps (this time on the porch, on EBJ's shoulder)

i swear, i'm just resting my eyes

more bacon

more eggs

more mean looks

oh and more biscuits (they were gooooood)

a drive back

missing paintball

i liked making advances on the bunker

and the hiss the gun makes when you shoot it

and squashing the paintballs under my feet

and running around in the woods

and wearing Carhartts and camo

and shooting 12 year olds

Went to Rent

lucky #19

remembered how its changed my life

got to see it change teenagers from Ohio

Sil was changed too

walk through Central Park

i should do that more




so much i've neer seen

watched 2 softball games

layed in the grass

ate ribs

content sleep.

another supa fantastic weekend

A bit about the perfect weekend

Well Sil has really put her mark on the blog this weekend, so i guess it is my turn to get involved!

my Memorial day weekend was spent like this:

pizza party at work

jitney to the beach

a trip through town

iced tea and macaroni and cheese (just a snack)

21st birthday party

beirut & hamburgers

beer on the porch



great sleeps

driving with the windows down, sunroof open

no traffic

more iced tea and some bacon and eggs

chats by the pool

incredible views




new t-shirts

loosing beirut

winning beirut

freezing cold dips in the pool

dancing by the pool

the best sunset I’ve ever seen



amazing dinner

corn on the bbq is the best

crazy game of cranium

i acted out being a beaver




more amazing sleeps

delicious homemade breakfast

i made the bacon




drive out to Montauk

stop for ice cream (first of the summer)



climb the lighthouse - 137 steps up, 137 down, great for my pedometer

watch the boats go by


margaritas

new england clam chowder

a trip to Lunch

lobster rolls on a picnic table

another BBQ

coronas and great company




more amazing sleeps

wake up for breakfast with the midgets

"I’m not a midget I’m just short"

new cozy sweatshirts

umbrella fort on the beach

shandys and curly fries



lobster roll, buffalo wings, an ill advised burger

pina coladas, coronas

and shandys to go

lazy train back to the city

its nice to be back

Our first photo story...

This is a story of biking the "harder but scenic" route to New Jersey Memorial Day weekend, the GW bridge, sore bottoms, soccer tennis with a hose and plastic ball, Bubba burgers and Mauritian burgers, the loudest, most awful European club music coming from over the bushes, a few too many Bud Lights and drinking card games, never too many chocolate chip cookies, the easier 9W route (!), and photo retouching.
Everybody's smiling, sunshine day.